Pretoria City Hall is a large building in

Pretoria Pretoria () is South Africa's administrative capital, serving as the seat of the Executive (government), executive branch of government, and as the host to all foreign embassies to South Africa. Pretoria straddles the Apies River and extends ...

city centre, South Africa, which was built in 1931 and inaugurated in 1935 in order to celebrate the city-status of Pretoria obtained in 1931. It is located on the Paul Kruger Street south of Church Square and across the street from the

Transvaal Museum The Ditsong National Museum of Natural History, formerly the Transvaal Museum, is a natural history museum situated in Pretoria, South Africa. It is located on Paul Kruger Street, between Visagie and Minnaar Streets, opposite the Pretoria City Ha ...

History

In 1926 a competition was held to design the future city hall of Pretoria and the winning design was by F.G. McIntosh. Due to the economic difficulties of the then

South African Republic The South African Republic ( nl, Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek, abbreviated ZAR; af, Suid-Afrikaanse Republiek), also known as the Transvaal Republic, was an independent Boer Republic in Southern Africa which existed from 1852 to 1902, when it ...

, construction of the City Hall started in 1931 and was completed in 1935. The Hall was completed in the Semi-Italian classical style and a

George Heys George may refer to: People * George (given name) * George (surname) * George (singer), American-Canadian singer George Nozuka, known by the mononym George * George Washington, First President of the United States * George W. Bush, 43rd Presiden ...

, the former owner of

Melrose House Melrose House is a stately mansion and museum located on Burgers Park in Pretoria, South Africa. History Built in 1886 by the prosperous Pretoria businessman George Jesse Heys, it was named after the famous Melrose Abbey in Scotland. Melrose H ...

donated the 32 tower bells found in the hall today.

Pretorius Square

The Pretorius Square lies in front of the building including fountains and maintained gardens. Three statues of significant figures decorate the park; *

Marthinus Wessel Pretorius Marthinus Wessel Pretorius (17 September 1819 – 19 May 1901) was a South African political leader. An Afrikaner (or "Boer"), he helped establish the South African Republic (''Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek'' or ZAR; also referred to as Transv ...

, the founder of Pretoria who named the city in honour of his father in 1855. *

Andries Pretorius Andries Wilhelmus Jacobus Pretorius (27 November 179823 July 1853) was a leader of the Boers who was instrumental in the creation of the South African Republic, as well as the earlier but short-lived Natalia Republic, in present-day South Africa ...

, a

Voortrekker The Great Trek ( af, Die Groot Trek; nl, De Grote Trek) was a Northward migration of Dutch-speaking settlers who travelled by wagon trains from the Cape Colony into the interior of modern South Africa from 1836 onwards, seeking to live beyon ...

leader who led the push to settle the North of the country and for who the city is named. *

Chief Tshwane Chief may refer to: Title or rank Military and law enforcement * Chief master sergeant, the ninth, and highest, enlisted rank in the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force * Chief of police, the head of a police department * Chief of the boa ...

, the

Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality The City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality (also known as the City of Tshwane) () is the metropolitan municipality that forms the local government of northern Gauteng Province, South Africa. The Metropolitan area is centred on the city of Pr ...

, under which Pretoria falls was named for this local Chieftain.

Contemporary use

The hall used to serve as a venue for concerts and organized events including weddings. The main auditorium has a large stage and was used for classical music concerts and many other social events. But since 2016, it has been closed to the general use of the public. It seems that the current council has no intention of opening it up to the public ever again.

Future use

TBA

References

External links

* City and town halls in South Africa Buildings and structures in Pretoria History of Pretoria {{SouthAfrica-struct-stub